Things to do in London this weekend
Grab your weekend by the horns and take charge of getting involved in the best Friday, Saturday and Sunday activities in London.
Weekend incoming! Don’t let some light drizzle ruin your weekend plans, get out there in London and live your life to the full. From Black History Month events such as Black Movie Festival and Somali Week Festival to hunting down vintage gems at the South London Vintage Furniture Flea and Free Church Hall’s Indoor Flea Market, this weekend’s going to be a right corker.
RECOMMENDED: Find more things to do this Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
What’s on this weekend?
Oval Night Market
What is it?
This alfresco party is back with hot cocktails, fire pits and blanket-strewn cosy corners for autumn.
Why go?
The roads will be closed off to make way for street food trucks, craft stalls, bars and live DJs. Party on!
The one thing you should know?
Bring your dancing shoes and dance until 11pm.
Unsightly Drag
What is it?
A cabaret show with a difference.
Why go?
Expect drag queens, drag kings and pushed boundaries at this show spotlighting blind and visually impaired LGBTQ+ performers. It’ll be fully accessible of course.
The one thing you should know?
Support the UK’s leading visually impaired theatre company and up-and-coming queer crip-led creative company.
Sicily Fest
What is it?
A festival dedicated to southern Italian delicacies.
Why go?
Load up on cannolis, arancini and more with tastings, cookery demos and more tastings.
The one thing you should know?
Learn how to say ‘delizioso’ – that’s delicious in Italian.
Lunar Dreams
What is it?
A giant hang-out beneath Luke Jerram’s six-metre ‘Museum of the Moon’ sculpture.
Why go?
Hear storytellers perform lunar-inspired folk tales to soundscapes created live by sound artists.
The one thing you should know?
As the name suggests, you’ll be dreaming of the stars and the moon.
All-Night Graffiti and Tattoo Art Festival
What is it?
An all-night festival dedicated to graffiti and tattoo art.
Why go?
Go for live graffiti workshops, tattooing rooms and pop-up shops.
The one thing you should know?
Stay for the all-night UV graffiti exhibition.
Clean-Up Crawl
What is it?
London Fields Brewery is leading a pub crawl with a difference on Saturday.
Why go?
Join its clean-up of Regent’s Canal, then swap your bag of litter for a half pint at various boozers nearby.
The one thing you should know?
Find more details on its social channels.
Natural History Museum Ice Rink
What is it?
Arguably London’s most enchanting ice rink, thanks to the beautiful backdrop of Alfred Waterhouse’s buildings.
Why go?
Put your skates on — it's become a London Christmas classic.
The one thing you should know?
See the website for wheelchair user sessions. Booking is recommended.
Peckham Levels Beer Festival
What is it?
Sip on suds from six of London’s best indie breweries at the old multi-level car park.
Why go?
For £12 you can get six half-pints from any of the exhibitors including Brockley Brewery, Canopy, London Beer Factory, Small Beer Factory, Mondo and Orbit.
The one thing you should know?
There’ll also be live music and DJs in the mix too.
Queerstory
What is it?
Join master storytelling troupe The Embers Collective as they tell LGBTQ+ tales inspired by queer myths and folklore.
Why go?
Come gather around and learn something new.
The one thing you should know?
This is accessible to everyone – if ticket prices are too high, then please get in touch with Embers Collective where they’ll try their best to accommodate.
Sylvanian Families Pop-up Shop
What is it?
A Sylvanian Families Christmas pop-up shop.
Why go?
Besides the cuteness overload, there’ll be a London-themed selfie corner, never-seen-before products and a performance area for the Sylvanian characters.
The one thing you should know?
Go see if the Guardian Bear’s hat is made of real fur (hopefully not).
World’s Smallest Beer Festival
What is it?
Celebrate Brick Lane pub Kill the Cat’s third birthday.
Why go?
Chug beers from a mighty fine selection of hops and tuck into delicious food.
The one thing you should know?
There’ll be a great line-up from some of the best breweries around. Tickets include a glass, a free can of the pub’s new haus lager and a free first pour.
Hackney Flea Market
What is it?
A knick-knack hunter’s paradise.
Why go?
Filled with tables and rails brimming with everything from vintage dresses and jewellery to furniture.
The one thing you should know?
There’s also an onsite café selling homemade food and DJs spinning away, making it a sweet place to linger.
The South London Vintage Furniture Flea
What is it?
The UK's biggest vintage fair returns to South London for a furniture-filled edition.
Why go?
Packed with mid-century gems and retro goodies, this sale is straight out of your homeware-filled dreams.
The one thing you should know?
Check out the on-site tea room once you've finished bargain hunting.
Film of the Week: ‘A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon’
What is it?
The new Shaun the Sheep-quel featuring a small alien invasion.
Why go?
Expect all the usual Aardman jolliness with a Spielberg-y sci-fi spin.
The one thing you should know?
It’s going to be one giant leap for lamb kind.
Somali Week Festival
What is it?
Join in with an integral part of Black History Month, this year’s Somali Week Festival is bigger than ever.
Why go?
See how artists, activists and musicians respond to times of political change.
The one thing you should know?
Using Brexit as a catalyst, performers, activists and experts will be spotlighting the Somali diaspora in the UK.
Indoor Flea Market
What is it?
Northway’s Free Church Hall will be overtaken with stalls selling all sorts of bric-à-brac.
Why go?
Rummage through arts and crafts, vintage clothing, jewellery and other flea fodder.
The one thing you should know?
Get there early to bag the good stuff.
‘The Peanut Butter Falcon’
What is it?
A soul-stirring US indie that’s about a buddy bromance with a sniff of romance.
Why go?
It’s the feel-great hit of the autumn.
The one thing you should know?
It’s a film about love, made with love, and you can feel it emanating from all involved. A proper pick-me-up.
Show of the Week: ‘Hogarth: Place and Progress’
What is it?
Master satirist William Hogarth’s serial works in London’s coolest house.
Why go?
All of human life is here. And it ain’t pretty (okay, some of it is).
The one thing you should know?
It’s not all grotesque misery, as Hogarth’s style grows more expansive, his paintings are full of beauty.
‘Lungs’
What is it?
Claire Foy and Matt Smith star in this moving experimental two-hander about parenthood by Duncan Macmillan.
Why go?
It’s a chance to see the ‘The Crown’ stars in rather different roles and to catch Matthew Warchus’s production for a very limited season at the Old Vic.
The one thing you should know?
Get in there quick, tickets are selling out fast.
Swap It Free Fashion Swap
What is it?
Swap til you drop at this clothes exchange.
Why go?
Trade in your old clobber for someone else’s.
The one thing you should know?
Fashion blogger Katie Towle will be on hand to offer sartorial advice and Procecco will be flowing. Register your interest in advance to find out more details about the event.
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